TeachKidsArt

a resource for teachers & families

  • Home
  • Blog
  • Artist Birthdays
  • SHOP TPT
  • About
  • Contact
  • TIP Vault

TIP #19: 7 Principles of Painting with Watercolor

There’s alot kids (and adults!) can learn about painting with watercolor, but these 7 principles are fundamental.

While ‘learning by doing’ can be very effective, it helps if kids understand a few key concepts going in. This gets them out of the starting gate a little quicker and with a lot less frustration.

First, check out my TIP #18: The 4 Essentials of Watercolor for the basic supplies your students will need. Then read the seven points below for what kids need to know to be successful with watercolor.

7 principles of painting with watercolor:

1. Leave any areas you want to be white untouched.

Let the white of your paper be your white ‘paint’.

2. Keep your pencil sketches very light.

Pencil lines will show through your paint because watercolor is a transparent medium. When painting with watercolor, remember to always press lightly with your pencil.

Then, you can go over some or all of your drawing with the edge of a Magic Rub Eraser (affiliate link) to lighten it even more. Simply drag it gently over your paper to leave just a hint of your drawing visible as a guide for painting.

3. Work from light to dark.

You can make a light color darker by layering more color on top of it after it dries. But it’s much more challenging to make a dark color lighter. Keep in mind that colors appear darker while wet but become lighter as they dry.

4. Let layers dry before painting on top of them.

Unless you’re working wet-on-wet, it’s best to be patient and let your paint dry completely between layers. A hairdryer can be helpful if you’re short on time.

5. Be careful not to overwork your painting. 

Colors can become “muddy” very quickly if you overwork them. Watercolor has a reputation for being an “unforgiving” medium for this reason. Knowing when to stop and leave well-enough alone is an important skill to develop for painting with watercolor.

6. Rinse your brush well before changing colors.

To rinse your brush, press it gently on the bottom of your water container a few times. Then wipe it a few times on the inside edge of the container.

Avoid swishing or tapping, which is guaranteed to splash dirty paint water where you don’t want it. (It’s funny how loud swishing seems to be the default brush-rinsing program for kids until you teach them otherwise.) Good brush rinsing should be completely silent.

7. Clean your brushes and paint sets well before putting them away.

Nothing starts a painting session off on the wrong foot like opening your paint set to find a sea of muddy, sticky colors and a sticky brush. Help kids develop the habit of always leaving a paint set the way they’d want to find it.

Do not store brushes inside the paint sets. If a paint set is tipped on its side while colors are still wet, the paint will run. Then, even a perfectly clean brush will become a sticky mess!

To clean the colors of your paint set, simply place a drop of water on each “dirty” color. Then gently blot the color with a damp brush. After that, use a baby wipe or damp paper towel to clean the inside of the lid.

Finally, be sure to leave paint sets flat while they dry. This prevents wet colors from running out of their pans and all through the set.

an inspiring quote:

“One’s mind, stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.”  ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.

By its very nature, learning changes us. Once we’ve learned something, we are no longer the same as we were before.

It can be exciting for kids to think of learning this way. Everything we learn, no matter how small (like how to rinse your paintbrush), helps us grow.

Follow Me

  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Never Miss a Post - Follow by Email

Find a ** FREE ** Lesson (Below):

  • Lessons Inspired by Famous Artists
    • Britto, Romero
    • Burch, Laurel
    • Calder, Alexander
    • Carle, Eric
    • Cezanne, Paul
    • Chagall, Marc
    • Chihuly, Dale
    • Dali, Salvadore
    • Da Vinci, Leonardo
    • Delaunay, Robert & Sonia
    • Escher, M.C.
    • Goldsworthy, Andy
    • Haring, Keith
    • Johns, Jasper
    • Kahlo, Frida
    • Kandinsky, Wassily
    • Klee, Paul
    • Klimt, Gustave
    • Matisse, Henri
    • Miro, Joan
    • Mondrian, Piet
    • Monet, Claude
    • O’Keeffe, Georgia
    • Old Masters
    • Picasso, Pablo
    • Pollock, Jackson
    • Pompon, Francois
    • Posada, Jose
    • Remington, Frederick
    • Renoir, Auguste
    • Seurat, Georges
    • Seuss, Dr.
    • Van Gogh, Vincent
    • Van Honthorst, Gerard
    • Wood, Grant
  • Lessons by Holiday
    • 100th Day of School
    • Chinese New Year
    • Christmas
    • Day of the Dead / Dia de los Muertos
    • Earth Day
    • Easter
    • Father’s Day
    • Halloween
    • International Dot Day
    • Memorial Day
    • Mother’s Day
    • New Years
    • Other
    • Thanksgiving
    • Valentine’s Day
  • Lessons by Culture
    • Africa
    • America
    • Chile
    • China
    • Europe
    • Haiti
    • Japan
    • Mexico
    • Middle East
  • Lessons by Process
    • 3D / Sculpture
    • Bookmaking
    • Calligraphy
    • Collage
    • Drawing
    • Embossing
    • Folding
    • Lettering
    • Micrography
    • Mosaic
    • Origami
    • Painting
    • Paper Cutting
    • Paper Folding
    • Printmaking
    • Quilling
    • Recycling with Art
    • Sketching
    • Stitching / Embroidery
    • Weaving
  • Lessons by Medium
    • Acrylic
    • Clay
    • Colored Pencil
    • Crayon
    • Digital / Computer
    • Fabric / Fiber
    • Markers / Pen and Ink
    • Mixed Media
    • Oil Pastel
    • Paper
    • Pencil
    • Tempera
    • Watercolor
  • Lessons by Style
    • Abstract (Non-representational)
    • Abstract (Representational)
    • Cartoon
    • Cubism
    • Expressionism
    • Fantasy
    • Impressionism
    • Op Art
    • Orphism
    • Pointillism
    • Pop Art
    • Post Impressionism
    • Realism
    • Surrealism
  • Lessons by Subject
    • Abstract Design
    • Animals
    • Birds
    • Buildings
    • Butterflies
    • Cityscape
    • Color / Color Mixing
    • Creatures / Monsters
    • Cross
    • Faith
    • Elements of Art
    • Fish / Marine Life
    • Flowers
    • Greeting Cards
    • Hearts
    • Imagination
    • Landscape
    • Mandalas
    • Masks
    • Math with Art
    • Misc. Subjects
    • Names
    • Nature
    • Ocean / Seascapes
    • People
    • Portraits / Self-Portraits
    • Religion
    • Quilts
    • Scripture
    • Seasons
    • Sky
    • snow
    • Stars
    • Still Life
    • Trees
    • Words / Letters
  • … and More!
    • Bulletin Boards & Displays
    • Classroom Management
    • Elements of Art
    • Imagination
    • Inspiration
    • Middle School Art
    • News & Announcements
    • Philosophy
    • Portfolios
    • Product Reviews
    • Quotes & Stories
    • Supplies / Products
    • Teacher Workshops
    • Tips for Teaching Art

Follow me on
Teachers Pay Teachers

Support Teach Kids Art When you shop Amazon.com

TEACH KIDS ART IS AN AMAZON AFFILIATE. I earn a small commission when you visit Amazon.com by clicking through my site and make a purchase of any kind. This supports Teach Kids Art at no extra cost to you.

Click here to shop Amazon.com!

Related Posts

  • TIP #65: 12 Positive Affirmations for Creative Kids
  • Review the Elements of Art with a Beachball Scavenger Hunt
  • Make a Crazy Crown Craft
  • Use Art Postcards to Teach or Review
  • How to Have an Elements of Art Scavenger Hunt in a Painting

Copyright © 2023 Cheryl Trowbridge / Teach Kids Art · All Rights Reserved · Privacy Policy · Design by Laugh Eat Learn



We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT